Men's Basketball Falls to Rollins in Home Finale

Magne Fivelstad finished with 12 rebounds and eight points in his final game at Health & Sports Center. Photo by Joel Auerbach

MIAMI SHORES, Fla. – Barry University men’s basketball team lost to Rollins, 75-71, Saturday. The loss, Barry’s third at home this season, dropped the Buccaneers record to 17-7 overall, 7-7 in the Sunshine State Conference.

Rollins, which has won four straight, improved to 14-11, 8-7.

Barry led by as many as 10 a little over eight minutes into the first half on a Yunio Barrueta basket, but Rollins went on a 12-2 run to draw within 22-20 with 7:08 remaining on the clock. The Tars closed the opening half on a 9-0 run to take an eight-point lead into the break.

The Bucs were playing catch-up the rest of the way. Barry’s Arie Williams hit a jumper with 11:32 to go to tie the game at 49-49, but the Tars extended their lead back to seven on a three-pointer by Alex Blessig and four straight free throws.

Barry’s Savad Garner scored on a dish from Deric Hill with 6:30 to play as the Bucs cut it to one, and Hill tied the game at 60-60 on one of his five threes at the 5:29 mark. After Juan Ferrales sank the first of two free throws to pull the Bucs within one, Rollins used a 7-1 run to take a seven-point lead with 1:02 remaining. Hill buried a three with 28 seconds left to pull the Buccaneers within, 71-68, but the Tars sank four free throws down the stretch to offset Hill’s last triple to spoil the homecoming Senior Day game.

Chris Uhle had 21 points, and Blessig 20 points, five steals, four assists and five rebounds for the Tars. Barrueta had 16 points and 10 rebounds in his 11th double-double of the season. Hill had 16 points and eight assists.

Senior Magne Fivelstad had eight points, 12 boards and a steal. Barry’s other senior, Garrett Naughton, had two blocks, including a monster send-it-out in the first half.

The Bucs, which had trouble with Rollins’ menacing zone trapping defense, turned the ball over 18 times. The Tars committed nine turnovers. Barry shot 39.7 percent from the field, going 25 of 63. Rollins was 22 of 49 for 44.9 percent.

The Bucs will finish the regular season on the road at Lynn Wednesday and Florida Tech next Saturday.